A small research firm can now conduct studies across 70 countries in the time it once took just to schedule a kickoff call. Technology has fundamentally changed what’s possible in market research. Online platforms, AI translation tools, and widespread smartphone adoption mean small teams conduct research that once required global offices and weeks of coordination. But this efficiency comes with a hidden risk.
“If you don’t pay attention to cultural differences, you risk alienating respondents or collecting data that fundamentally misrepresents the market you’re trying to understand,” says Frank Kelly, Market Research Practice Lead at Virtual Incentives.
In other words, one-size-fits-all approaches to global research miss authentic local voices. Cultural nuances affect every touchpoint, from how people interpret survey questions to which incentives actually motivate participation. Ignore these differences, and you don’t just compromise data quality. You alienate the very people you’re trying to understand.
This has always mattered, but the current climate has made this non-negotiable. Recent political and economic shifts are changing how people feel about where products and brands come from. And that has direct implications for research quality.
US trade policy’s effect on global consumer sentiment
Trade policy in 2025 has become a flashpoint. New tariffs and protectionist measures are adversely affecting consumer sentiment across international markets in ways that directly impact research quality. What was once seamless cross-border commerce now has visible friction points, and consumers are responding with their wallets.
The buy-local movement is accelerating. Economic uncertainty and shifting trade relationships are creating new cultural sensitivities that didn’t exist even a year ago. Markets that historically welcomed global brands are now questioning where products come from and which companies they want to support.
Consider Canada as a leading indicator. According to recent Horizon Media Canada research, 59% of Canadians have reduced purchases of U.S. brands, and they’re shifting that loyalty to local alternatives. 71% report being more loyal to Canadian brands in 2025 than they were a year ago. In fact, 85% plan to prioritize Canadian-made products moving forward, even if prices increase.
Here’s what this means in practice: If you’re fielding a study in Canada and your incentive catalog only features American retailers (Starbucks, Target, Walmart), you risk turning off significant segments of your sample. But offer Tim Hortons alongside Starbucks? You’re meeting participants where they are, both geographically and emotionally.
Key takeaways on shifting consumer sentiment:
- 59% of Canadians have reduced U.S. brand purchases
- 71% report increased loyalty to Canadian brands year-over-year
- 85% plan to prioritize Canadian-made products even at higher prices
- Local preference directly affects sample quality and participation rates
- Incentive choices signal whether you understand the local market
How to scale global research and maintain local authenticity
This sentiment shift has direct implications for sample quality, participation rates, and data authenticity. The question is how to adapt research practices to account for them without sacrificing the efficiency that makes global research possible in the first place.
Translation & Language
Generic translations miss regional dialects and cultural meaning. The French spoken in Montreal differs from the French spoken on the streets of Paris. Similarly, Americans and Brits both speak English only one enjoys chips while the other enjoys fries.
AI translation tools can handle regional dialects when people actually specify them. The problem? Many researchers skip this step. After all, it’s easier to deploy one French translation across all French-speaking markets than to create separate versions for France, Canada, Belgium, and Switzerland. That’s not a limitation of global research, but a choice, one that costs you authenticity.
Survey Design: Meeting Respondents Where They Are
Education levels and research familiarity vary dramatically by market. A rating scale that works perfectly in the US or UK might confuse respondents in other markets. Frank recalls working with a researcher in Venezuela who had to fundamentally redesign surveys coming from U.S. clients.
“He said people don’t think that way here,” Frank explains. “The average education level was around 10th grade, and people weren’t familiar with research conventions like rating scales. He had to readjust the style to get anything meaningful. Otherwise people just got confused.”
Visual design matters too. Asian markets typically prefer different web aesthetics than European or North American audiences. Think more visual density, different color palettes, distinct navigation patterns. These aren’t arbitrary preferences. They’re cultural expectations that signal whether you understand the local market.
Incentives: Global Favorites + Local Heroes
Incentive catalogs featuring only global brands miss local preferences and can alienate significant segments of your sample. The solution is comprehensive catalogs that include both.
Yes, offer Amazon, Apple, and IKEA. These are powerful global brands that resonate across markets. But also include John Lewis in the UK, Bol.com in the Netherlands, REWE in Germany, and Tim Hortons in Canada.
This is where Virtual Incentives takes a different approach. We source from multiple suppliers rather than maintaining a closed network, which gives us flexibility to include both global powerhouses and local favorites.
When you give respondents incentive options that reflect their actual shopping habits and cultural preferences, participation rates improve, you attract more diverse demographics, and you build trust. This ultimately results in better data.
In practice, effective global incentive catalogs:
- Include both global powerhouses (Amazon, Apple, IKEA) and local favorites
- Source from multiple suppliers for maximum flexibility vs. closed networks
- Match incentives to actual shopping habits and cultural preferences
- Improve participation rates by offering locally relevant options
- Build trust through brands respondents recognize and value
The path forward for global research
Globalization and localization aren’t opposing forces. They’re complementary. The current political and economic climate makes this balance more important than ever, but the principle extends beyond any particular trade policy or tariff dispute.
The companies that will lead this industry are the ones that can scale globally while thinking locally; the ones that harness technology’s power without losing the human, cultural touch that makes research meaningful.
This is complex work. Small adjustments (the right dialect, the right incentive, the right visual design) make big differences. Get it right, and you turn authentic local voices into truly global insights.